魔兽争霸官方小说:仇恨之轮-Cycle of Hatred(英文版)-第37部分

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amassed　on　land　to　stand　down。　We　all　shall　return　to　Durotar；　and　not　attack　you　again。　　The　Warchief　stepped
forward。　Unless　you　give　us　reason　to。　　

Again；　Davin　nodded；　more　eagerly　this　time。　

He　continued　to　stand　there　as　Thrall　ordered　his　troops　to　gather　their　dead　and　wounded　and　return　to　their　boats
and　set　sail　northward　for　Kolkar　Crag。　Davin　remained　standing　with　his　boots　sunk　into　the　sand；　bits　of　Burx　s
blood；　skull；　and　brains　on　various　portions　of　his　armor　and　person；　as　Thrall　climbed　back　up　the　ladder　to　his
airship；　and　both　airship　and　waterborne　vessels　proceeded　northward。　

Davin　was　stunned　to　realize　that；　for　the　second　time；　his　prayer　had　been　answered；　and　he　was　starting　to　think
there　might　be　something　to　the　whole　praying　thing。　

He　was　equally　stunned　at　how　quickly　everything　had　changed　all　because　of　Thrall　s　words。　Yes；　his　rather　
spectacular　actions　got　everyone　to　stop　fighting　for　a　minute；　but　that　would　ve　been　only　temporary。　Thrall　s
words　were　what　convinced　the　orcs　and　trolls　to　stop　fighting　and　retreat。　

Much　as　he　hated　to　admit　it　about　an　orc；　Davin　was　impressed。　

Finally；　a　captain　whose　name　Davin　couldn　t　for　the　life　of　him　remember；　asked；　　Orders；　Major？　　

Ah　stand　down；　Captain。　　He　let　out　a　breath　he　hadn　t　even　realized　he　was　holding；　suddenly　feeling　very　
exhausted。　Stand　down。　　

TwentyFour　

N　ot　five　minutes　ago；　Aegwynn　had　urged　Zmodlor　to　cease　his　parlor　tricks。　The　disembodied　voice　trick　was
probably　menacing　to　the　average　person；　but　it　was　a　simple　trick　that　any　firstyear　apprentice　could　pull　off。　So　it　
didn　t　impress　Aegwynn　all　that　much。　

Now；　seeing　the　huge；　leatheryskinned；　batwinged；　flameeyed　Zmodlor　standing　before　her；　she　realized　she　
should　have　kept　her　mouth　shut。　Demons　on　the　whole　were　not　pretty　creatures；　but　Zmodlor　was　hideous　even
by　their　standards。　

Surrounding　the　demon　were　eight　hooded　figures。　These；　presumably；　were　the　warlocks；　who　were　chanting　
rhythmically。　

Jaina　reached　into　her　cloak　and　grabbed　the　scroll。　Aegwynn　was　grateful；　as　it　meant　this　would　be　over　soon。
Now　that　Zmodlor　had　revealed　himself；　Jaina　would　be　able　to　cast　the　banishment。　
　
Suddenly；　Jaina　screamed　and　fell　to　the　floor。　

Jaina！　　Aegwynn　ran　to　the　young　mage　s　side。　Lorena；　good　soldier　that　she　was；　moved　to　stand　between　the
demon　and　Jaina。　

Sweat　beaded　on　Jaina　s　forehead　as　she　managed　to　get　to　her　knees。　Through　clenched　teeth；　she　said；
Warlocks…blocking　the　spell。　　

This　close；　Aegwynn　could　feel　the　warlocks　　spellcasting。　It　was　fairly　weak；　though　there　were　about　a　dozen　of
them；　which　added　power　to　their　spells。　Still；　a　mage　of　Jaina　s　stature　should　have　been　able　to　punch　through
that。　

Unless；　of　course；　she　d　overextended　herself。　

Jaina　was　struggling　Aegwynn　could　feel　it　but　she　was　losing　ground　to　Zmodlor　s　minions。　

This　is　even　better　than　I　d　hoped。　I　ll　make　sure　that　the　orcs　are　blamed　for　Proudmoore　s　death。　It　will　send　the
humans　into　a　frenzy。　Nothing　will　stop　them　from　going　to　war；　and　without　her　to　guide　them；　they　ll　lose　but
not　before　they　kill　as　many　orcs　as　possible。　It　will　be　glorious！　　

Like　hell；　　Aegwynn　muttered。　There　was　only　one　thing　for　her　to　do。　

It　had　been　almost　four　years　since　she　brought　Medivh　back。　That　had　drained　all　her　magic　at　the　time；　as　she　d
told　Jaina　but　the　magic　never　went　away　forever。　Two　decades　after　she　had　escaped　to　Bladescar；　she　had　built
up　enough　magical　power　to　bring　back　her　son。　While　she　hadn　t　regained　anywhere　near　that　much　in　the　four
years　since；　she　might　well　have　enough　to　do　what　was　necessary。　If　not　well；　she　d　lived　almost　a　full　
millennium。　As　Lorena　had　so　eloquently　pointed　out；　that　was　a　lot　more　than　most　people　got。　

Sweat　was　now　pouring　down　Jaina　s　face。　She　was　still　kneeling；　fists　clenched　and　resting　on　her　thighs。
Aegwynn　could　feel　the　spell　that　she　herself　had　written　struggling　to　push　past　the　blocks　the　warlocks　were　
putting　up。　

Down　on　one　knee　at　Jaina　s　side；　Aegwynn　grabbed　the　younger　woman　s　left　fist　with　both　hands。　She　closed　her
eyes；　gathered　up　her　thoughts；　her　power；　her　very　life　essence。　Focusing　it；　molding　it；　moving　it；　she　channeled　it
all　into　her　arms…then　her　forearms…then　her　hands…　

And　then　to　Jaina。　

Fatigue　rather　suddenly　overwhelmed　her。　Her　bones　felt　heavy　in　her　skin；　her　muscles　ached　as　if　she　had　just　run
a　race；　and　her　breaths　came　in　shallow　gasps。　Ignoring　all　of　it；　Aegwynn　continued　to　focus；　willing　her　life；　her
magic；　her　very　soul　to　Jaina　Proudmoore。　

Jaina　opened　her　eyes。　Normally　an　icy　blue；　they　were　now　a　fiery　red。　

No！　　

Simultaneously；　both　Aegwynn　and　Jaina　said；　Yes！　　

You　cannot　stop　the　Burning　Blade！　We　will　prevail　over　all；　destroying　everything　in　our　path；　and　then　we
aaaaaaaaaAAAAAAAARRRRRRR　
RGH！　　

Zmodlor　s　screams　echoed　not　only　off　the　walls；　but　from　the　mouths　of　the　warlocks；　who　felt　sympathetic
agony　through　the　bond　the　demon　had　with　them。　Though　Aegwynn　s　vision　was　fading；　she　saw　Zmodlor　s
hideous　body　twist　and　contort；　ichor　spewing　from　wounds　that　suddenly　ripped　open。　
　
A　wind　kicked　up　as　the　air　itself　was　rent　asunder　by　the　spell　Aegwynn　had　written　a　portal　to　the　Twisting　
her　pulling　Zmodlor　s　body　into　the　tear。　

Noooooooo！　I　won　t　let　you　trap　me　aga　　　

The　demon　s　words　were　cut　off　by　his　head　being　sucked　in。　

But　the　screams　continued　from　the　warlocks；　even　as　the　ground　shook　under　Aegwynn　s　unsteady　legs。　Moments
later；　they　stopped　as　they；　too；　were　sucked　into　the　Twisting　her；　where　they　would　suffer　anguish　several
orders　of　magnitude　worse　than　what　they　had　planned　for　the　residents　of　Kalimdor。　

The　tear　closed　but　the　cavern　was　still　shaking。　

Showing　a　soldier　s　capacity　for　stating　the　obvious；　Lorena　said；　We　ve　got　to　get　out　of　here！　　

But　Aegwynn　couldn　t　make　her　limbs　move。　Her　arms　and　legs　felt　like　dead　weights；　and　it　took　all　her　energy　
just　to　keep　her　eyes　open。　

One　of　the　stalactites　ripped　from　the　cave　roof　with　a　sharp　crack　and　impaled　the　floor　less　than　a　handsbreadth
from　where　Aegwynn　and　Jaina　both　knelt。　

Aegwynn　heard　Jaina　start　to　mutter　the　incantation　for　the　teleport　spell。　

Then　she　passed　out。　

Epilogue　

O　nce　again；　Lady　Jaina　Proudmoore　stood　atop　the　butte　on　Razor　Hill；　gazing　out　over　Durotar。　

Soon；　she　heard　the　low；　steady　rumble　that　heralded　the　arrival　of　Thrall　s　airship。　This　time；　the　Warchief　came　
with　an　honor　guard；　most　of　whom　remained　in　the　undercarriage　while　he　climbed　down　the　rope　ladder　to　greet
Jaina。　One　warrior；　whom　Jaina　did　not　recognize；　came　down　after　him。　When　they　alighted　on　the　butte；　the
warrior　stood　three　paces　behind　Thrall；　holding　his　ax　at　the　ready　in　front　of　him。　

Smiling　wryly；　Jaina　said；　Do　you　not　trust　me；　Thrall？　　

Thrall　returned　the　smile。　My　own　closest　advisor　betrayed　me；　Jaina。　I　think　it　s　best　if　I　remain　alert　at　all
times　and　with　someone　watching　my　back。　　

A　wise　move。　　

Is　the　threat　truly　ended？　　

Jaina　nodded。　It　would　appear　to　be。　Zmodlor　and　the　warlocks　who　performed　his　magicks　have　been　banished　to
the　Twisting　her。　Even　the　Burning　Legion　would　be　hardpressed　to　liberate　them　and　so　minor　a　demon
would　hardly　be　worth　the　effort。　　

Well　done。　I　only　wish　it　could　have　been　acplished　before　blood　was　spilled　unnecessarily。　　Thrall　s　hand
went　to　his　belt；　from　which　hung　a　talisman　in　the　shape　of　a　flaming　sword。　Jaina　assumed　it　belonged　to　Burx；
the　advisor　who　had　allied　himself　with　Zmodlor；　just　as　Kristoff　had。　According　to　Major　Davin　s　report
provided　along　with　his　letter　of　resignation　Thrall　had　killed　Burx　in　front　of　a　large　cadre　of　orc　and　troll　
warriors　for　consorting　with　the　Burning　Blade。　
　
Sighing；　Jaina　said；　We　were　very　lucky；　Thrall。　Zmodlor　may　have　been　responsible　for　this；　but　he　simply　
brought　up　hatreds　that　were　already　there。　Look　at　how　easily　your　people　and　mine　took　to　killing　each　other　at
Northwatch。　　

Indeed。　It　was　far　easier　for　our　pe